The latest instalment in the increasingly moribund Haruhi series, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, has finally been dated.

The “Surprise” is two-fold – firstly, that the novel is being released at all, having already been delayed for 4 years, and secondly, that it is apparently getting a “worldwide simultaneous release in 13 countries.”

“Surprise” will actually be split into two novels, at a lengthy (for “juvenile novels,” as their English publisher appropriately refers to them) 600 pages in all, released simultaneously on the 25th of May, 2011.

More surprising is the announcement that the simultaneous release will supposedly be across 13 countries, something of a first for a light novel.

There is some suspicion that the novels are actually complete or nearly so, and that the release is being held back to give time for the translation – although there is equally as much suspicion that they will be delayed again.

However, the announcement of a global release is distinctly odd – the English releases so far are only up to Rampage (due in June 2011), so the “simultaneous global release” is already taking on an air of farce – why release the latest novel in a series before any of the preceding novels have even been translated?

This is all particularly bizarre when “Surprise” will be the 10th and 11th novels in the series, and “Rampage” only the 5th, and due the month after Surprise.

With the number of delays the novels have so far incurred (this announcement is actually the result of a slyly worded promise “for a big announcement before the end of the year”), fans can of course be forgiven for wondering whether they will really be released this time anyway, and more importantly, whether they will have been worth the wait.

Too many here believe that the novels are somehow the animation, and that they are written the exact same way and by the same person. At least brush up on screenwriting and read the effing novels before saying Nagaru Tanigawa is the source of your shit-storm. Endless Eight was only one chapter, not 8 episodes, and Tanigawa has little control over what KyoAni does, just like most writers over their TV/big screen adaptations.

I got some really great deals that sold translated compiled manga paperback novels on some older series and they are awesome. This might be pretty good. With no Aya as a voice actor there would be no need to have a Anime show of it. The translated manga with like 4 or 5 stores in each were under 10 bucks and thats one heck of a great deal. I haven’t gotten around to reading the Guin Saga ones yet bought a load of titles, but I GOT THEM!

Well, I’m sure I’m with any Japanese folks who think the translation is delaying the release in hoping that’s not the case, but worldwide releases are a good thing in general. As mentioned, though, this doesn’t make sense for the western releases, unless they’re assuming everyone read the baka-tsuki translations that were taken down a while ago (I did so there’s a good chance I will buy this when it comes out). It’s somewhat similar to FSN stuff like Fate/Unlimited Codes coming out here, when the original Visual Novel has yet to be officially translated into english, although there’s a well known fan translation that’s been available for years now.

The publisher isn’t Kyoto Animation. I know KyoAni did the animated adaptation of the novels, but they have nothing to do with their marketing and release. Unless Endless Eight caused as much of a ruckus in book form as it did animated, your criticism of KyoAni based on the novel’s marketing is off target.

Endless Eight I think was a artistic choice by Kyo-Ani. But the epic PR fiasco behind Haruhi-chan’s nice boat and trickling of information was Kadokawa’s doing.

Though now, it’s really hard to tell since KyoAni was touting the success of K-ON! was by their hand. But Kadokawa had to have some part in it. Who really knows how much say each one of them has on marketing.

well the novel has been fan translated to more than 13 lenguagues, and probably they know most of us alrady readed the other novels, this migth even be a goos way to figth piracy, or maybe this is what they meaned with quadruple exportations.

Presumably the worldwide release is in response to the prevalence of the various fan-translations, both because the majority of the international audience for the books is already up to book 9 (albeit tolerating Internet Writing), and because those readers are just as likely to take the same route for the new books if a less legally dubious one isn’t presented in good time. I mean, at the current rate of two official English versions per year we won’t reach to the eleventh until the middle of 2014 without next year’s release.

And with, “we won’t reach to the eleventh”, I just accidentally demonstrated a prime example of Internet Writing, in case anyone was wondering what I meant by that. Of course, you weren’t, because this is a Sankaku comments thread.

If you’re in one of those 13 countries, consider buying it, because it sales not only mean more Haruhi goodness (this is good for SOS-fans), but more worldwide releases (this is good for anime fanciers everywhere!)

They’re doing THIS novel properly, and I think that ought to be recognized.

So while my Japanese classes require me to count in Japanese up to one thousand, Japan can’t even count in English past five. Come on guys, you’ve got shit to get in order with the other books before you start grandstanding this one.

I only have the second volume in English (The Sigh) but if they really will release The Surprise on that date, I’ll buy the rest at the same time. But goddamnit, if they end up dropping the series at book 8 or something Imma be mad.

…and “The Masturbation of Haruhi Suzumiya”, “The Tentacle Fun with Haruhi Suzumiya”, “The Pregnancy of Haruhi Suzumiya”…
I like Haruhi, but we have right to joke about Kadokawa`s mindless marketing tactics.
I din`t get why Anon 16:47 is downgraded that much.
Again: i love Haruhi stuff when it`s properly released, but… it usually is not.